In a press briefing held on June 5, Suriname’s President Jennifer Simons and Minister of Foreign Affairs, International Trade and Cooperation Melvin Bouva outlined concrete outcomes from recent official visits to Brazil and the Dominican Republic, announcing the government’s plan to speed up the expansion of economic cooperation with both Latin American and Caribbean nations. The cooperation strategy centers on eight core priority areas: trade, cross-border investment, agriculture, tourism, energy, improved transport connectivity, and national food security.
President Simons emphasized that the diplomatic missions were intentionally structured to deliver tangible, actionable results rather than symbolic diplomatic engagements, with formal monitoring mechanisms established to track the implementation of all signed agreements. With Brazil, Suriname has locked in new arrangements covering a wide range of sectors, from trade, investment and agriculture to public security, energy, infrastructure, air and maritime connectivity, healthcare, and digital technology.
One of the most high-priority initiatives discussed is the establishment of a direct maritime shipping route between Suriname and Brazil, a project Suriname’s government says will cut transit times and transportation costs for cross-border goods movement. Simons noted that this new link will not only bring down consumer prices for Surinamese households but also unlock new export opportunities for key domestic products, most notably Surinamese rice. Minister Bouva added that two private companies have already expressed formal interest in operating the new route, with one already holding technical consultations with Suriname’s Ministry of Transport, Communication and Tourism to work out operational details.
For its partnership with the Dominican Republic, Suriname has agreed to a multi-year cooperation framework and signed six bilateral agreements covering tourism, agriculture, energy, trade, and broader economic collaboration. The Surinamese government is actively targeting new foreign direct investment from the Dominican Republic, with a particular focus on growing the country’s agriculture and tourism sectors.
President Simons highlighted that deepened regional economic cooperation has grown increasingly critical amid shifting global geopolitical dynamics and persistent disruptions to global supply chains. Against this backdrop, she argued, Suriname must prioritize strengthening its food security, energy security, and regional connectivity to build economic resilience. All agreements reached during the visits are scheduled for implementation over the coming months, with the government projecting that the expanded partnerships will ultimately generate increased trade flows, higher investment volumes, and broader economic opportunity for the people of Suriname.